SHINE ON

Please excuse our alluding to that Pink Floyd classic, but it fits! Subaru’s new SA-developed limited edition WRX STi Diamond Edition quite clearly Shines On! Not only will 30 lucky owners enjoy the pleasure of owning one of these individually numbered instant classics, bit for a short while, it held our official four cylinder road test record!

Not only is Diamond Edition the fastest and most powerful production STi ever released in South Africa, but it is also a quite sublime salute to those old STi and world rally ghosts in Subaru’s cupboard. The revised 2.5-litre Boxer now produces 260kW at 4500rpm, a 17.7% increase over the standard WRX STi, while torque peaks at 464Nm at 4000rpm for an impressive 14% increase over the standard version.

That;s not just thanks to Dual Active Valve Control to ensure a flat torque curve over a wide rev range, but Subaru’s South African boffis have also been at it to deliver what we understand is indeed the most powerful Impreza of any kind to be sold off the dealer floor as an official price listed model..

Subaru never ignored this Diamond’e dynamics either – that classic Symmetrical All Wheel Drive gains a 20mm wider overall track and this one also features include Brembo 6-pot front and 2-pot rear calliper braking.

You also have three SI-Drive driver controlled centre differential options for differing levels of response and also allow you to tailor the torque split between the front and the rear wheels for greater handling response. Add an even quicker steering ratio and a lowered ride height (and so centre of gravity) for unparalleled level of agility and handling.

You won’t miss Diamond Edition in its classic Subaru blue with a petticoat in typical day-glo yellow body kit, black wheels and all the regular STi addenda, but not only is this manual rally rocket an absolute rip to drive, it also shines on, just as a crazy Diamond should!